An Old Wound Deeper Than It Seems
On November 14, one of the shortest interviews in media history unfolded on the German political podcast Jung & Naiv. Jimmy Wales introduced himself as the "founder of Wikipedia," only for host Tilo Jung to immediately probe: "Founder or co-founder?" Just 48 seconds later YouTube clip, Wales walked out of the studio.
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From the outside, it seems bizarre: a guest arrives for an interview, gets asked about a well-known fact, calls the question "the dumbest in the world," and bolts. But for Wales, this isn't just a query - it's a two-decade-old sore spot.
Wikipedia launched in 2001 History of Wikipedia under Wales' company Bomis, but Larry Sanger - the chief editor he hired - played a pivotal role by suggesting the wiki software that made it scalable. Early press releases and *New York Times* articles referred to them as co-founders.
The feud erupted in 2005 when Wales edited his own Wikipedia page to downplay Sanger's role as co-founder. He later apologized for the edits but insisted Sanger's contributions were overstated. Sanger, who left the project in 2002, accused Wales of "authoritarian control" and minimizing his input.
Ever since, Wales has dismissed the debate in interviews as "the stupidest controversy in the history of the world." Ironically, his current Wikipedia page Jimmy Wales lists him as a co-founder, adding a layer of self-referential irony.
Jung is known for his no-nonsense interviewing style: no small talk, straight to the point, often with provocative questions designed to expose inconsistencies.
His podcast focuses on politicians and activists, cornering them on contradictions. Wales, in Berlin for a conference, likely expected a promotional chat but walked into a direct hit on his lingering grievance.
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As Jung pressed that co-foundership is a "matter of facts," Wales shot back: "It's a matter of opinions." Then he left. Wales has not commented on the incident, but the clip exploded online X post by Collin Rugg, racking up millions of views.
Jung posted it himself, dubbing it "the shortest interview in (show) history." Commenters are split: some blame Jung for provocation without warmup, others fault Wales for dodging a straightforward discussion.
Yet Wales' heated remark - "I don't care" - is the clearest evidence that he cares deeply.
